If you shot your double the first day of safari to check the sights would you clean it that night or just keep hunting for the rest of the safari?

I believe most people would rather shoot with a fouled barrel than a clean one. I am not sure how much difference it makes with your specific rifle and your range expectations. If you are not shooting over 50 yards and something as big as a buffalo, it may not make any difference.
Might shoot a few shots out of a clean barrel at 50 yards and a few out of a fouled barrel and see if there is any significant change in point of impact?

Palmer,

Fouling the barrels of a double is the necessary first step to determining how accurate it is.

Clean barrels that may have some oil still in them seem to shoot higher. So I take two shots at, say 25 yards to ensure I'm still on once I get to the safari area range, and them do a few for practice, both from the bench and, especially offhand. Never clean the rifle until I'm home.

Regards, Tim

I will wipe down a rifle each day it is carried, every other day or so if it isn't and re-grease a double each day it is shot and every second or third day whether shot or not.

I will also run a pull-through through the bores every day the rifle is shot or every couple of days if it isn't shot, but that is just to wipe out the powder residue and dust.

The bores only get a good cleaning after return home.

JPK

quote:

Originally posted by JPK:
I will wipe down a rifle each day it is carried, every other day or so if it isn't and re-grease a double each day it is shot and every second or third day whether shot or not.

I will also run a pull-through through the bores every day the rifle is shot or every couple of days if it isn't shot, but that is just to wipe out the powder residue and dust.

The bores only get a good cleaning after return home.

JPK

+1, each night back at camp a wipe down with a rag and pull a bore snake through both barrels, then back in the case for the next day.

I brought a gun rag with me and wiped the barrels down each night, loaded it with a soft in the right and a solid in the left and stood it right next to the bunk. We had lions and elephant in and about camp each night. Gave it a real cleaning and greasing when I got home. Only problem I had was the PH's in camp shootin all my ammo up! Luggage weighed less though on the way home.

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
SCI
DSC

I've previously had 8 double rifles. The first 6 shot to the same point of impact with both barrels, clean or fouled. Two years ago, I took number 7 (a Searcy .470) to Zimbabwe on an elephant hunt.

I shot the gun often in practice for my hunt, not cleaning the barrels for several trips at a time to the range, but cleaned it well with copper solvent before I left for Africa... and coating the bore well with oil in case the gun was "delayed" in transit.

I was much chagrined when I test fired the rifle upon arrival at Omay. The right barrel shot 4" high at 50 yards (with the left barrel right on target)... I took a deep breath and shot a right and left again... and discovered that the gun shot perfectly with both barrels if fouled, but the right barrel was unacceptable clean and lubed...

So.. Until I sold the rifle, when in Africa, I always made sure that before hitting the field, I had a fouled right barrel.. the left shot fine, clean or dirty.

Every barrel is different. It is voodoo... but predictable voodoo. If the bores don't get wet, I leave them alone and fouled, and if I need to swab the bores because I got them wet in the rain, I get the P.H. to stop the Cruiser just out of camp and pop a couple of caps.

Confidence in your gun is infinintly important. I feel lots better shooting a gun in the same condition in which I checked the zero. JMHO.

BTW, #8 shoots right and left to the same point of impact, clean or dirty.

Judge...easiest way to describe a double is a direct comparison to a lovely lady.....got to try them out in a lot of ways until you get it sorted out.

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
SCI
DSC

I have a lovely lady in my life. She is voodoo, but unpredictable voodoo. And I love it. Nothing like a challenge every day... Hell! Every minute. Better than an H&H Royal Grade and a bit more expensive.

Dangerous game, Judge......some have 4 legs.....some only 2. And an unresolvable passion to follow them both. We are strange creatures.

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
SCI
DSC